“We’ve met before, haven’t we?” A mesmerizing meditation on the mysterious nature of identity, Lost Highway, David Lynch’s seventh feature film, is one of the filmmaker’s most potent cinematic dreamscapes. Starring Patricia Arquette and Bill Pullman, the film expands the horizons of the medium, taking its audience on a journey through the unknown and the unknowable. As this postmodern noir detours into the realm of science fiction, it becomes apparent that the only certainty is uncertainty.
For thoughts on Lost Highway, please check out our discussions on The Video Attic:
Video Quality
The Criterion Collection presents Lost Highway with a terrific 2160p HDR/Dolby Vision transfer sourced from a 4K scan of the 35mm Original A/B Camera Negative that has been supervised by director David Lynch. The film was previously released a few years back on Blu-Ray with an older transfer by Kino Classics, but I do not have that disc to compare. Based solely on images and comparisons of the new restoration online, this new release is the ultimate presentation of the film.
In past interviews, Lynch has explained that he wanted director of photography Peter Deming to shoot this film with more of a chocolate filter which provides a rich, deep aesthetic that heightens the mysterious nature of the narrative. Previous releases seem to have been either overly brightened or too dark, but the new Dolby Vision transfer seems to strike the perfect balance that Lynch always intended. The director was especially interested in browns, yellows and reds, and all of these colors and more are properly brought to life with the Dolby Vision grade. The environments themselves are a visual wonder, but when you introduce additional pops of color such as certain costumes things really begin to sing. Perhaps the biggest benefit to this 4K UHD experience is the command of contrast. There are moments of intensely deep shadows, such as a notable hallway in Fred’s house which never succumbs to crush or banding as he plunges further into darkness. Then there is the love scene near the end desert in front of the headlights which intentionally pushes the highlights to their breaking point, yet they somehow manage not to bloom. It is truly astonishing.
Even fine detail has been improved as there are elements of the production design and costumes that reveal more subtle facets than ever before. Heck, even the makeup on the mysterious man played by Robert Blake looks a bit more cakey and textured with the added resolution. This transfer presents with such clarity that the world feels almost three dimensional, which only adds to the unsettling nature of the story. This is achieved in part thanks to the perfect amount of natural film grain which remains intact and resolves flawlessly. There are no signs that any grain reduction has been applied, as you get a fine sheen that resolves quite well without veering into swarmy noise. All minor moments of print damage have long since been eradicated. This transfer is a knockout for fans of the film, and it is difficult to imagine it ever looking better.
Audio Quality
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio near-field remaster along with a LPCM 2.0 stereo track which both handle the material flawlessly. The score and other hard-hitting music is used perfectly to establish the visceral mood of the story, and this track conveys this without fail throughout the duration of the film. The environmental sounds are rendered with precision alongside everything else. The low end response is not the star of the attraction, but it does provide some notable texture to the proceedings throughout. There is never a moment where it comes close to overwhelming competing sounds, and it maintains a good balance so that dialogue comes through clearly. The track focuses pretty heavily on the front channels given the importance of dialogue, but there is a fairly broad soundscape which captures the considered sound design of the film with perfect fidelity. There does not seem to be any noticeable instances of age-related wear and tear. The Criterion Collection has given this film a top notch audio experience.
Special Features
The Criterion 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Lost Highway includes a bound booklet featuring the excerpt “The Home Is A Place Where Things Can Go Wrong: Lost Highway” by author Chris Rodley from his book Lynch on Lynch which provides a rare look into the thought process of Lynch from the man himself. You are not exactly offered up clear answers, but knowing what sparked certain ideas can help put you down an interesting path towards potential theories. The on-disc special features are as follows:
- Pretty As A Picture – The Art Of David Lynch: An 81-minute documentary from 1997 directed by Toby Keeler which includes footage from the production of Lost Highway along with interviews with Patricia Arquette, Angelo Badalamenti, Robert Blake, Mel Brooks, Peter Deming, Barry Gifford, Mary Sweeney, and many more. This piece provides a broad overview of the filmmaker in the context of his movies, paintings, drawings, photographs, and various other works of art. This is an essential watch for Lynch fans.
-
- Outtakes: There is an additional 14 minutes of unused material included here featuring conversations between Lynch and Bushnell Keeler, anecdotes from Jack Fisk, asides with Mel Brooks and more.
- Next Door To Dark: A 44-minute audio piece of Lynch and coauthor Kristine McKenna reading a chapter from their 2018 book Room To Dream.
- The Making Of Lost Highway: A 13-minute vintage featurette in which Lynch explains how art changed his life and the cast explain a bit of his mad, ambiguous genius. There are also brief discussions about the characters, the acting challenges, working with David Lynch and more.
- David Lynch, 1997: A nearly 12-minute interview with Lynch in which he attempts to recall his collaboration with Barry Gifford, the development of the script, the film noir qualities, how the narrative was impacted by the OJ case, elements from his real life he put into the story, the place of memory and reality in the story and more.
- Theatrical Rerelease Trailer: A minute-long trailer is provided here.
Final Thoughts
Lost Highway is a knockout effort from the mysterious master David Lynch, who explores some of the darkest aspects of man in unsettling ways. The film follows a logic that is not outwardly accessible, but when you get on Lynch’s wavelength and open your mind to what is possible, you are amply rewarded. Bill Pullman pulls off a very tricky performance, but it is Patricia Arquette who steals the film with her varied performances. Although, Robert Blake may be the performer who lingers in your head after the credits roll with his brief but pivotal turn. It is clear when watching this film that you are in the hands of a master artist, and it is such a joy to watch him unleash his vision. The Criterion Collection has delivered a new 4K UHD Blu-Ray that offers a 5-star A/V presentation and some great special features. If you are a Lynch fan, this is a must-buy. Highly Recommended
The Criterion Collection edition of Lost Highway is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD and Blu-Ray.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: The Criterion Collection has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.